The Rise of Unions & STRIKES

September 29, 2014

• 1880s: Knights of Labor– Included ALL workers– Men and women– Skilled and Unskilled– Black/ White

• 1890s: American Federation of Labor (AFL)– Included only SKILLED workers– Unions divided by craft. Ex:

• Electrical• Construction• Mining

• Do you think business owners liked unions?• Many business owners claim that UNIONS are SOCIALIST• Socialism: Idea that a CLASSLESS society is Best

– Gov’t take ownership of property/ EQUALLY disperse to the people

• Socialists argue that a COMMUNIST gov’t would work best

STRIKES!!!

September 30, 2014

1. 1886: Haymarket Strike Riot• Labor rally in Chicago, Illinois• Someone threw bomb that killed police officer• More than 12 died/ Over 100 injured• 8 anarchists arrested• Anarchist: political radicals who oppose ANY form of

gov’t2. 1892: Homestead Strike• Homestead, PA• Argument between steel workers & owner Henry Frick– Frick did A LOT of business with Carnegie

• Strikebreaker: Person who works despite a strike, or his hired to replace strikers

• Goal of strike: stop work to force negotiations• Strikebreakers make strike INEFFECTIVE• RESULT: Union broke up/ no union for steel workers for

decades

3. 1894: Pullman Strike• Illinois: plant that creates Pullman passenger cars cuts

hours and wages by 25% due to LOW PROFITS• Workers lived in Pullman City – Owner of company owned EVERYTHING– Homes, church, library, stores, etc.– Owner charges for everything (even Church)– Wages cut 25%, but rent/ prices in town stay SAME

• RESULT: walkout & encourage people to BOYCOTT Pullman railway cars

• Other railroad companies join in– Over 50,000 workers involved

• Strike caused a major disruption in U.S. Mail• RESULT: President Cleveland sends in troops to force

strikers back to work • Strike Leader (Eugene V. Debs) thrown in prison for

leading strike